A strand of integral clip members

ABSTRACT

A reglet joining clip for particular use with a panel glazing system whrein a plurality of reglets are employed to define a glass retaining frame extending around a wall opening. Each clip includes a base dimensioned to closely embrace a portion of the bottom walls of adjacent channel areas and upwardly extending leg members extending substantially coextensive with the support area edges to resiliently engage the side walls of the adjacent channel areas. The clips, each relatively short in length, are formed in a continuous strand with the interconnecting portions being either bendable or frangible. One clip is used for joining adjacent longitudinally disposed reglets and two, interconnected, clips are used for joining adjacent reglets which form a frame corner.

nited States Patent [191 Dallen 1 Nov. 26,1974

[ A STRAND OF INTEGRAL CLIP MEMBERS [75] Inventor: John A. Dallen, PortClinton, Ohio [73] Assignee: The Standard Products Company,

. Cleveland, Ohio [22] Filed: Apr. 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 352,356

Related US. Application Data I [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 136,848,April 23, 1971,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 29/193.5 [51] Int. Cl. B21c 37/02 [58] Field of Search29/193, 193.5; 287/189.36

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 944,022 12/1909 Eken287/l89.35 X 2,637,927 5/1953 Gadomski 287/189.35 X 3,085,666 4/1963Lydard 287/l89.35 X 3,225,952 12/1965 Stiles 287/2092 C 3,594,682 7/1971Oleson 24/81 B X 3,641,723 2/1972 Delcroix 4 52/463 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 605,028 7/l948 Great Britain 287/189.35

OTHER PUBLICATIONS Herbert Terry et al., Clips, Aircraft Engineering,March 1948, pp. VIII.

Primary Examiner Winston A. Douglas Assistant Examiner-O. F. Crutchfield[5 7 ABSTRACT A reglet joining clip for particular use with a panelglazing system whrein a plurality of reglets are em ployed to define aglass retaining frame extending around a wall opening. Each clipincludes a base dimensioned to closely embrace a portion of the bottomwalls of adjacent channel areas and upwardly extending leg membersextending substantially coextensive with the support area edges toresiliently engage the side walls of the adjacent channel-areas. Theclips, each relatively short in length, are formed in a contin- -uousstrand with the interconnecting portions being either bendable orfrangible. One clip is used for joining adjacent longitudinally disposedreglets and two,

interconnected, clips are used for joining adjacent reglets which form aframe comer.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 51 $74 fee; 728/74 136,848 filed Apr. 23,1971, and now abandoned.

DISCLOSURE The application pertains to the art of panel sealing systemsand more particularly to a new reglet joining clip for use with suchpanel sealing systems.

The present invention is particularly applicable to window sealingsystems for use with concrete walls wherein reglets are generally castinto the walls around a window opening wherein the reglets define themeans for mounting awindow panel and will be described with particularreference thereto; however, it will be appreciated that the inventionhas broaderapplications such as wherever it may be desirous ofjoiningadjacent reglets in a predetermined desired relationship relative toeach other for mounting any type of construction components.

Reglets are elongated channel shaped members of extruded plastic whichform the means for holding a window pane in the window opening of aconcrete wall. Usually they are placed in their ultimate position andthe concrete is then cast around the outer sides of the channel. Toinsure that the reglet is firmly attached to the wall, the outside ofthechannel usually is provided with laterally extending flanges. l

Heretofore, when reglets were imbedded in concrete walls or the like,there have been no means provided to interconnect adjacent reglets. Thismade it difficult to maintain the adjacent reglets in' the desiredaligned relationship in order to form a desired window panel mountinggasket receiving channel. This problem was particularly acute when theconcrete walls were poured around the reglets in that the force ofpouring often caused the reglets to become misaligned relative to theother reglets comprising the retaining frame. As a result. it wasnecessary to utilize a single or continuous reglet for each side of theretaining frame to be formed.-

This practice, of course, developed a substantial number of scrap regletsegments in that once a reglet length was cut to sizepthat portionremaining could not be used unless it was long enough to form a completeretaining frame'side elsewhere. Obviously, a substantial amount of scrapwas inherent with this type of use.

Further, when preparing a multi-sided frame. for example. a rectangularframe for a corresponding rectangular opening, it was necessary tomiter-or bevel the ends of the adjacent corner forming reglets in orderthat they 'couldbe closely fitted together in a desired spacedrelationship. This mitering step necessitated rather precise angled cutsto be'made which, required substantial time and skill to perform. Asthese corner reglets were not rigidly affixed to each other, thepouringand vibrating of the concrete around them often causedmisalignment as described above. these mitered -corners were alsonecessary to prevent the concrete or other construction material fromentering the ends of and fouling the reglet channel areas.

The present invention contemplates a clip for holding the reglets inaligned relationship which overcomes all of the above referred problemsand others. which clip is simple to manufacture. easy to use, adaptableto any.

reglet mounting requirement and is provided in strip form with otheridentical clips in order that the clips may be removed therefrom asneeded.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a regletjoining clip comprised of a channel having a base dimensioned togenerally transversely span at least a portion of the bottom walls of areglet and upstanding walls for resiliently engaging the side walls of areglet. The length of the clip is such as to overlap the-ends ofadjacent reglets and hold them in position. In accordance with a morelimited aspect of the present invention, there is provided a regletjoining clip integral with at least another identical clip at the basesonly so that the individual clips may be bent to an angle relative toeach other or broken apart.

In' accordance with another more limited aspect of the presentinvention, there is provided a reglet mounting clip wherein the joiningportions of the base are of a lesser thickness than the base area itselfin order to provide means for separating the clip from its integralclips from each other.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of areglet joining clip which may be used to rigidly affix adjacent regletsto each other in a predetermined desired aligned relationship.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a regletjoining clip which eliminates the necessity for mitering or beveling theends of those reglets forming frame corners.

Another object ofthe present invention is the provision of a regletjoining clip which permits the use of short or odd lengths of reglets informing a side of a panel retaining frame.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a newreglet joining clip which prevents concrete or other building materialscomprising a building wall from entering the reglet channel areas at thecorner joints of a panel retaining frame.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a newreglet mounting clip which is simple and economical to manufacture.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a newstrand of identical interconnected reglet mounting clips in which anynumber of individual clips may be easily removed therefrom forapplication with a. panel mounting system.

The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement ofparts, a preferred embodiment of which will bedescribed in detail in thespecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form apart hereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, with portionsof the wall broken away, of a windowmounted in a concrete wall illustrating a preferred embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 shows two mounting clips in accordance with the subject inventionas they are used in rigidly connecting two reglet members forming acorner for the frame shown in FIG. 1;

P16. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 33 in FIG. 2',

I FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the two reglet joining clips used inFIG. 2; and,

FIG. 5 shows a portion of a strand of the reglet joining clips of thesubject invention with one of the reglet clips being broken awaytherefrom.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purposesof illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not forpurposes of limiting same, the FIGURES show a panel mounted in anopening 12 in a concrete wall 14. Panel 10 could comprise any type ofconstruction panel, however, in the preferred embodiment, this panel isa glass window pane. similarly, wall 14 could be formed from otherconstruction materials. Disposed about opening 12 in concrete wall 14are a plurality of reglets l6, portions of which are more preciselyshown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This type of panel mounting system is known inthe art as may be seen more completely in my copending and commonlyassigned continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 89,954 and thecommonly assigned US. Pat. No. 3,524,290. These reglets are received ingasket receiving channels I8, integrally formed in concrete wall 14 whenthe wall is poured around the prepositioned reglets, which face inwardlytowards opening 12. An elastomeric gasket member has a tongue (notshown) which is received in the reglets and includes means for retainingpanel 10 in a desired position relative to opening 12. Again, this typeof arrangement is known in the art and is shown in the above mentionedcommonly assigned application and patent.

lvlore specifically, in this type of scaling system, reglets I6 eachinclude a channel area 28 comprised of a pair spaced apart side walls30, 32 joined together by a bottom wall 34. the bottom wall has agenerally flat outer surface area 35. Disposed on the inside of sidewalls 30, 32, and extending longitudinally therewith, are a plurality ofinwardly extending protrusions 36, 38 respectively. Similarly disposedon the outside surfaces of the side walls are a plurality of outwardlyextending protrusions 40, 42. It is to be noted that protrusions 36, 38matingly engage a tongue member (not shown) on gasket 20 as is known inorder to maintain the gasket in a desired panel sealing relationshipwith panel 10. Similarly, protrusions 42, 44 engage the sides of regletreceiving channel 18 in concrete wall 14. As reglets 16 are generallyplaced in position prior to pouring the concrete wall, the reglets arepermanently retained in receiving channels 18 by these outwardlyextending protrusions: however, other methods of locating the regletsrelative to the wall may be used without affecting the operation orscope of the reglet joining clip of the subject application. Disposedcoextensive with bottom wall 34 are outwardly extending bottom wallextensions or wings 44, 46 which also serve to retain the reglets intheir respective receiving channels 18, but which also are used with thesubject clip as will be hereinafter described.

Each reglet I6 also includes shoulder areas 48, 50 including downwardlyextending longitudinal retaining protrusions 52. Some reglets may alsoinclude breakofftabs 54, 56 which increase the shoulder width ofthereglets but which may be easily removed ifa thin shoulder area ispreferred due to construction requirements. Other shoulderconfigurations have also been heretofore utilized. it only beingnecessary for purposes ofthe subject invention that reglets include achannel area as hereinabove described.

The joining clip ofthe subject invention is best shown in detail inFIGS. 3 and 4 and specific reference will be made thereto. The joiningclip itself is generally designated 60 and includes a base or bottom 62and upwardly extending legs 64, 66. In the preferred embodiment, theseclips are stamped and formed from a thin, relatively rigid metal. Itwill be understood, however, that other materials, such as plastic,could be utilized. In the preferred embodiment, base 62 is dimensionedto be received in a closely embracing relationship with outer surfacearea 35 of bottom wall 34. In the preferred embodiment, legs 64, 66 eachcomprise a longituidnal outwardly extending curvilinear surface 68adjoining the side edges of base 62 and a longitudinal inwardlyextending a curvilinear surface 70 adjoining surface 68. As can best beseen in FIGS. 4 and 5, legs 64, 66, i.e., surfaces 68, 70, extendsubstantially over the length of base 62. However, it will be noted thatlegs 64, 66 each include tapered ends 72, 74 which converge upwardlyfrom the base intermediate adjacent ones of the opposite base ends ofeach individual clip 60. The taper on each end may be of any angle,however, in the preferred embodiment, an angle of no greater than 45measured relative to base 62 is preferred as will hereinafter becomeapparent relative to the use of the clip.

Each clip includes identical joining areas 80, 82 (FIG. 5) at the endsthereof which areas are bendable through an angle of at least withoutbreaking but upon repeated bendings are frangible. Essentially, areas80,82 are merely extensions of base 62; however, in the preferredembodiment, it should be noted that the ends of areas 80, 82 are notchedto a thickness less than the thickness of the base.

The joining clip of the subject invention is most advantageously formedin a strand generally designated 90 with other identical clips and areinterconnected by joining areas 80, 82 in an end to end relationship. Asthe ends of the joining clips are notched to a thickness less than thethickness of the support area, a notch 94 is formed between each joiningclip 60 and the adjacent joining clips at the associated joining areas80, 82. Each notch 94 extends transversely across the strand.

Two uses of the subject reglet joining clip are shown in FIG. 1, namely,in joining together lengths of reglets in order to form a singleelongated reglet and in forming a corner joint for the panel retainingframe. These uses are generally designated A, B, respectively in theFIGURES. In joining two adjacent lengths of reglets only one clip 60 isutilized. In order to remove this one clip from the strand shown in FIG.5, it is merely necessary, due to notches 94, to repeatedly bend theclip arcuately back and forth about notch 94 as shown by directions aand 12 therein. The result ofthis bending is to establish metal workingstress areas at the notch so that a fracture will occur across the notchfollowing only a few bending cycles. As best seen in FIG. 4, thisfracture establishes slightly uneven or jagged edges 96 on joining areas80, 82; however, these uneven edges do not affect the operation or useof the clip. The fact that the clips may be broken away from the strandby this arcuate bending movement is important for job site use in thatit eliminates the need for any metal cutting tools for the separationprocess. Alternatively, of course, a pair of tin snips could be .used tomake the separation.

Once this single clip has been removed from strand 90, it is ready forinstallation to secure the two adjacent reglets 16 together by merelysnapping or sliding the clip in position on one end of a reglet as bestshown in- I FIG. 3, such'that approximately one half the length of base62 closely embraces outer surface area 35 of that reglet. The clip maybe snapped on the reglet by placing the clip in the desired positionwith curvilinear surfaces 70 of legs 64, 66 in longitudinal engagementwith bottom wall extensions or wings 44, 46 and then exerting a pressureagainst base 62 so that surfaces 70 are biased outwardly from each otherto permit the clip to pass into a tight fitting relationship with thereglet whereby base 62 closely embraces outer surface area 35. In thisposition, extensions or wings 44, 46 are received in outwardly extendingcurvilinear surfaces 68 of the legs. As the clip is formed from aresilient material, surfaces 70 spring back toward each other to lockthe clip into place once the extensions or wings are received'in theoutwardly extending curvilinear surfaces.

used in addition to the number described with reference to joints A andB in FIG. 1.

The invention has been described with reference to the preferredembodiment. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur toothers upon the reading and understanding of this specification. It ismy intention to include all such modifications and alterations insofaras they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalencethereof.

Having thus described my invention, I now claim:

1. A strand of integral clip members, each clip member including asubstantially flat base portion having opposite longitudinal edges andleg members integral with said base portion and extending upwardly fromsaid edges, each said leg member being reversely curved so that one ofsaid leg members has a substan- This same above described procedure isthen repeated relative to the otherreglet length in order to form thecompleted reglet.

In order to complete corner joint B, shown in FlGS.

' l and 2, two of the clips of the subject invention are required. It istherefore necessary to remove two interconnected clips from strand90 ashereinabove described. Once removed and as best shown in'FlGS. 2 and '4,these'two clips are then bent at notch94 so that they are generallynormal to each other. la the prewhen measured from their respectivesupportareas; Therefore, when the two clips are bent the normal positionwith each other, th'ese tapers come together at an abutting joint 98 tocompletely en'close the joint area 'and aids in preventing the concreteor other construction material from entering into the reglet channelareas. With particular reference to FIG. 2, the horizontally disposedreglet is then placed in position in it's associated clip as has beenhereinabove described. It should be noted that there is a small gap 0between the end of this reglet and base 62 of the vertically extendalongbase 62 need not be substantial. it is only necessary that it besufficient to clampingly engage the adjoining reglets and provide somerigidity for the joint. lt'has been found that for reglets having achannel width of /1 inch and a channel heighth of l inch, a clip lengthof 2 inches is entirely satisfactory.

Although the subject clip has only been shown for use in connecting twolongitudinally abutting reglets and for use in forming a generallysquare corner joint, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat other combinations of the subject clip may be used to tiallyS-shaped cross-sectional configuration and the other of said leg membershas a substantially backward S-shaped cross-sectional configuration,each leg member having an outwardly extending curved portion adja centsaid base portion and merging into an inwardly curved portion, said legmembers having terminal end portions extending outwardly from saidinwardly .ferred embodiment, the taper of ends 72, 74 is curved portionsand terminating at terminal ends facing outwardly of said base portion,said base portion having opposite base ends and said leg members havingsubstantially V-shaped notches therein extending down to said baseportion intermediate adjacent base ends.

2. The clip member strandof claim 1 wherein said leg members haveopposite leg ends sloping upwardly toward one another from said baseends at angles less than ninety degrees to form said V-shaped notches.

3. The clip member strand ofclaim 2 wherein said leg ends slope upwardlytoward one another from said base ends at angles of substantiallyforty-five degrees.

4. The clip member strand of claim 1 wherein said I of perpendicularyextending base portions.

5'. The clip member strand of claim 1 wherein said base portion hasopposite base ends integrally conperform other clippingfunctions asrequired by the very nature of the reglet use requirements. For example,it wouldbepossible to seal a panel which does not have square corners,in which case. the combination of two clips described in thisspecification and drawings would be bentto whatever degree dictated bythe panel shape. Further, various numbers of the clips could be I nectedwith base ends of adjacent substantially identical clip members attransverse bendable and frangible joining areas, said legs havingopposite leg ends sloping toward one another from said base portions atangles less than ninety degrees to define said V-shaped notches at saidjoining areas.

6. The clip member strand of claim 5 wherein said notches havedivergingsides defined by said leg ends and said sides slope at substantially 45to said'base portions.

7. A strand of integral clip members integrally connected at transversebendable and frangible joining areas. each of said clip membersincluding a base portion having opposite base edges and opposite baseends, leg members integral with said base portion and extending upwardfrom said opposite base edges, said base ends of adjacent clip membersbeing integrally connected at said joining areas, saidleg members oneach of said clip members having opposite leg ends sloping upward towardone another from said base ends at angles less than ninety degrees, saidleg ends on adjacent ones of said clip members defining substantiallyV-shaped notches at said joining areas.

8. The clip member strand of claim 7 wherein said opposite leg ends oneach of said clip members slope upwardly toward one another from saidbase ends at angles substantially 45.

9. The strand of claim 8 wherein each of said leg members are reverselycurved so that one of said leg members has a substantially S-shapedcross-sectional configuration and the other of said leg members has asubstantially backward S-shaped cross-sectional configuration, each legmember having an outwardly extending curved portion adjacent said baseportion and merging into and inwardly curved portion, said leg membershaving terminal end portions extending outwardly from said inwardlycurved portions and terminating at terminal ends facing outwardly ofsaid base portion.

10. The strand of claim 9 wherein said leg ends on adjacent clip membersdefine substantially V-shaped notches having notch sides extendingupward from said base portions at substantially 45.

1. A strand of integral clip members, each clip member including asubstantially flat base portion having opposite longitudinal edges andleg members integral with said base portion and extending upwardly fromsaid edges, each said leg member being reversely curved so that one ofsaid leg members has a substantially S-shaped cross-sectionalconfiguration and the other of said leg members has a substantiallybackward S-shaped cross-sectional configuration, each leg member havingan outwardly extending curved portion adjacent said base portion andmerging into an inwardly curvEd portion, said leg members havingterminal end portions extending outwardly from said inwardly curvedportions and terminating at terminal ends facing outwardly of said baseportion, said base portion having opposite base ends and said legmembers having substantially V-shaped notches therein extending down tosaid base portion intermediate adjacent base ends.
 2. The clip memberstrand of claim 1 wherein said leg members have opposite leg endssloping upwardly toward one another from said base ends at angles lessthan ninety degrees to form said V-shaped notches.
 3. The clip memberstrand of claim 2 wherein said leg ends slope upwardly toward oneanother from said base ends at angles of substantially forty-fivedegrees.
 4. The clip member strand of claim 1 wherein said base portionincludes a pair of base portions on opposite sides of said notches, saidbase portions being joined by a transverse bendable joining area, andsaid notches being shaped so that bending said base portion along saidtransverse bendable joining area to cause said pair of base portions toextend substantially perpendicularly to each other causes the sides ofsaid notches to substantially contact one another and to substantiallybisect the angle formed between said pair of perpendicularly extendingbase portions.
 5. The clip member strand of claim 1 wherein said baseportion has opposite base ends integrally connected with base ends ofadjacent substantially identical clip members at transverse bendable andfrangible joining areas, said legs having opposite leg ends slopingtoward one another from said base portions at angles less than ninetydegrees to define said V-shaped notches at said joining areas.
 6. Theclip member strand of claim 5 wherein said notches have diverging sidesdefined by said leg ends and said sides slope at substantially 45* tosaid base portions.
 7. A strand of integral clip members integrallyconnected at transverse bendable and frangible joining areas, each ofsaid clip members including a base portion having opposite base edgesand opposite base ends, leg members integral with said base portion andextending upward from said opposite base edges, said base ends ofadjacent clip members being integrally connected at said joining areas,said leg members on each of said clip members having opposite leg endssloping upward toward one another from said base ends at angles lessthan ninety degrees, said leg ends on adjacent ones of said clip membersdefining substantially V-shaped notches at said joining areas.
 8. Theclip member strand of claim 7 wherein said opposite leg ends on each ofsaid clip members slope upwardly toward one another from said base endsat angles substantially 45*.
 9. The strand of claim 8 wherein each ofsaid leg members are reversely curved so that one of said leg membershas a substantially S-shaped cross-sectional configuration and the otherof said leg members has a substantially backward S-shapedcross-sectional configuration, each leg member having an outwardlyextending curved portion adjacent said base portion and merging into aninwardly curved portion, said leg members having terminal end portionsextending outwardly from said inwardly curved portions and terminatingat terminal ends facing outwardly of said base portion.
 10. The strandof claim 9 wherein said leg ends on adjacent clip members definesubstantially V-shaped notches having notch sides extending upward fromsaid base portions at substantially 45*.